Echo's Power-On-Athon Highlights Efficiency, Safety, Quality

Get the inside scoop on the latest products Echo unveiled at its 2024 media event.

September 23, 2024

Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton presented Harold Redman, President and CEO of ECHO Inc., with the Green Business Award at ECHO's Power-On-Athon.

Walking into Echo's 700,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Lake Zurich, Ill., is equivalent to walking into Disney Land, but with outdoor power equipment instead of Disney princesses.

That's because Echo prides itself on investing in people, efficiency and quality in order to "create our own destiny," according to Ryan Ladley, Echo’s vice president of operations. And it was all on display at Echo's Power-On-Athon Media Day.

ECHO's Power-On-Athon hosted media and UAG board members to get a first glance at its new lineup of new products.

Part of creating its own destiny means bringing everything in house, from forklift maintenance, a trucking division and blow molding to material staging, extrusions, a shredder/regrinder system and a 24-hour testing lab.

"Safety is paramount. That's why we invest in our people. We invest in their training. And we invest in quality, to make sure the end user gets a product that works all the time," Ladley says.

The vertically integrated facility has been expanded 5-6 times over the past 40 years, and today, houses 1,000 employees, 40-60 temporary workers during the busy months and 320 main operators.

One of the highlights of the Media Day was Echo receiving the Lake Zurich Green Business Award by Mayor Tom Poynton, which recognizes Lake Zurich businesses working to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.

“Today, as the largest employer in our community, sustainable practices are at the core of our operations and embedded in our corporate philosophy,” says Harold Redman, president and CEO of Echo. “For over 50 years, Echo has been at the forefront of innovation, not only leading the outdoor power equipment industry but also setting the standard for environmental stewardship. Receiving this award is a testament to our team's dedication to creating a sustainable future. We are proud to be a cornerstone of both environmental progress and economic opportunity for Lake Zurich.”

“Echo is an amazing community partner and one of the best neighbors in our thriving industrial park. Not only are they creating hundreds of good paying jobs and juicing the local economy, they also understand why being environmentally friendly is also good for business. They just get it and we’re happy to have their world headquarters here in Lake Zurich,” adds Poynton.

Some of Echo’s award-winning projects include:

Waste Reduction: Echo regrinds 100% of molded plastic scrap (over 400,000 pounds annually) and reintroduces the material into its molded parts. Even the dust created from the regrind process is sent out to a compound facility, re-pelletized and then reintroduced as regrind into ECHO’s production parts.

Energy Savings: Echo’s solar panel installation, one of the largest in Illinois, powers the Lake Zurich plant and offsets approximately 38% of its energy use. The company also reduces consumption with energy-saving equipment, including LED lights and motion sensors, making up over 90% of their facility lighting.

Echo partners with Integrated Lakes Management to routinely manage invasive species in and around the wetlands that surround the facility and to ensure native species can flourish.

Echo prioritizes its people, featuring ADA-compliant floor plans and encouraging employees to engage in community initiatives, including roadside cleanups and sponsoring village events.

"At Echo, it's about building the foundation to have the right people and the right equipment to be able to comply to our own sustainable principles," Ladley says.

Ryan Ladley, ECHO’s Vice President of Operations, gives a tour of the company's 600,000-square-foot facility in Lake Zurich, Ill.

At the Power-On-Athon, Echo held a fashion show of sorts that introduced 10 new products, including two new gas-powered units, including a self-propelled gas mower; a versatiles six-port field charger; and eight additions to the ECHO 56V Battery System, featuring a limited-edition pink handheld blower in collaboration with Susan G. Komen, which was raffled off to 10 lucky winners, including myself.

The full product lineup will launch in the first quarter of 2025, except for the limited-edition pink blower, which will be available starting Oct. 1.

Echo's Power-On-Athon showcased the company's investment in worker safety, advancements in sustainability and the ability to meet all industry standards.

Content Director Marina Mayer wins the ECHO DPB-2500LE Limited Edition 56V Pink Blower.